Automatic gas cut-off.



APPLICATION FILED ROY. 6, 1902.

H0 MODEL.

UNITED STATE-s- Patented October 6, 1903,

FFlCE.

PATENT AUTOMATIC GAS CUT-OFF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,805, dated October6, 1903.

Application filed November 5, 1902- Serial No. l30,1 9- (N 1 11 To allwhom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, VIo'roR E. CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Goldendale, in the county of Klickitat and State ofWashington, have invented a new and useful Automatic Gas Out-Off, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic gas cutoffs; and it has for itsobject to provideadevice of this class which shall be simple inconstruction, certain and effective in operation, and in which when agas-jet is extinguished either carelessly or accidentally the deviceshall operate to shut 0d the gas-cock certainly and almostinstantaneously,

My inventionmay be described as being an improvement on Letters Patentof the United States No. 667,186,granted to myself on the 5th day ofFebruary, 1901-, but whereas in this former patent I availed myself ofthe heated air ascending from the gas-jet for thepurpose of actuatingmechanism whereby the supply-cock washeld open and retained in thatposition as long as the jet was burning in the present case I'availmyself of a thermostat of peculiar construction, said thermostat beingso disposed as to efiect the desired result in a simple andpracticalmanner.

Specifically my invention consists in the improved construction,arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fullydescribed, and particular-y pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation showing myinvention applied to anordinary gas-bracket, the side of the casinghaving been removed to expose the interior construction. Fig. 2 isasideview taken from the opposite side of the device and likewise with theside of the casing removed. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken verticallythrough the bur'ner-pipe and illustrative of the construction of thegas-cock. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the operating end of theimproved thermostat used in connection with my invention, showing thesame expanded so as to engage the brake-wheel, a portion of which hasalso been shown. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional elevation illustrating amodified construction of the thermostat. Fig. 6 is a sectional detailview taken on the line 6 6 in Fig. 1.

[the lever-arm 16.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similarnumerals of reference.

l designates an ordinary gas-bracket terminating in the burner-pipe 2,having the cock 3 and the burner 4. Supported upon this bracket adjacentto the burner-pipe 2,which it incloses, is a casing 5, containing thegearing and operating partsof the device. This gearing, althoughslightly difi'erently arranged, is practically identical with that shownin my Letters Patent above referred to. The spindle of the gas-cock 3carries a loosely-mounted Wheel 7, having peripheral teeth which meshwith a pinion 8 upon a spring-arbor 9. A connection between the gas-cockspindle and said wheel provides for communicating motion from thespindle to the wheel during the opening movement of the gas-cock to Windthe spring 10,'which is attached to said arbor,

said means being composed of an arm 11, attached to the spindle andengaging the stud or projection 12 upon the said disk, whereby when thegas-cock is opened itturns the disk to the limit of its movement,butleaves the gascock spindle free to rotate in the opposite direction to asufficient extent to cut off the gas independently of the wheel 7. Thisprovides for turning on the gas in theusual way, and thereby winding thecut-off spring, and the subsequent turning off of the gas in theordinary vvay by a reverse or closing movement of the gas-cock. Alsocarried by the spring-arbor is a gear-wheel 13, connected byintermediate gearing involving any desired number of speed-multiplyingelements with an escapement-wheel 14, preferably provided withperipheral teeth 15, the periphery of said escapement-wheel beingarranged in the path of an escapement-l ever, which in this caseconstitutes one arm 16 of a bell crank,

mounted pivotally at 17 and having an arm 18 extended approximately atright angles to The arm or member 18 of said escapement device should besufficiently resilient to enable it to bend under the influence of anoperating device to be hereinafter described. The spindle 19 of theescapementwheel also carries a brakewheel 20 of larger diameter than thesaid escapement-wheel.

21 designates the thermostat used in connection with my invention. Myimproved terial than the remainder of the device, so as the thermostat.

to cause it to expand more readily under the influence of the expansiveforce of the contents of the tubular device when heated. I would have itunderstood, however, that with regard to the dimensions of any of thecomponent parts of the thermostat I do not limit myself in any wise.Neither do I limit myself to the specific form of thermostat heredescribed, inasmuch as a variety of modifications equally well adaptedto operate in connection with my invention may be adopted;

The thermostat 21 is connected with the casing 5 of my improved devicein such a manner that the closure 25 of the expanded portion 24 shall bedisposed closely adjacent to the periphery of the brake-wheel 20, whilethe upper closed end of the thermostat-tube shall be disposed in somesuitable position where it will be exposed to the heat of the gasjetwhen the latter is lighted. Thus in Fig. l of the drawings I have shownthe said tube in full lines extended above the gas-jet. It may, however,occupy any position which shall expose it to the heating influence ofthe gas-jet. The tubular thermostat of this device may be filled withany suitable liquid, one that is readily expansible under the influenceof heat being preferred. In place of liquid, gas, air, or any otherfluid may be substituted, the object being simply to provide a means theexpansive force of which shall cause the operative part of thethermostat to actively engage the brake-wheel when expanded by the heatof the gas-jet.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modified form of The tube 23 of the latter isin this case provided in place of the chamber 24 simply with a rubberbulb or a bulb composed of any suitable elastic and expansible materialwhich during the expanded state of the contents caused by the heat ofthe gas-jet shall expand sufiioiently to engage the brakewheel andprevent the return movement of the spring-actuated gearing. It isobvious that by employing a sufficient number of speed-multiplyingelements in thegearing 0f the device only a very light touch upon thebrake-wheel will be required to effect the desired result.

The gas-cock is provided in the usual manner with a transverse bore 28,which in its normal or closed position is disposed at right angles tothe bore 29 of the burner-pipe. The bore 28 is provided at opposite endsthereof with oppositely-extended grooves or channels 30, the object ofwhich is to maintain communication between the bores 28 and 29, thuspermitting the gas to flow freely without being cut off during theslight interval between the lighting of the gas-jet and the sufficientheating of the thermostat to cause the operating end of the same toengage the brake- Wheel, and thereby prevent any further reversemovement.

The spindle of the gas-jet is provided with a suitable handle, in thiscase illustrated as a lever 32, the oppositely-extended arms of whichmay be provided with depending cords or chains, enabling it to be easilyreached and manipulated. The opposite end of the said spindle isprovided with an arm 43, lying in the path of the resilient arm 18 ofthe escapement-lever and adapted under certain circumstances, which willbe presently described, to engage the said arm 18 and to hold itincontact with a stud 34, which may be mounted upon a bracket 35, risingfrom the casing or otherwise suitably disposed, thereby serving to holdthe arm 16 of the escapement-lever in contact with the esoapement-wheeland preventing reverse-movem-ent of the gearing under the influence ofthe spring 10.

The operation of this device will be readily understood from theforegoing description, taken in connection with the drawings heretoannexed. When the gas-cock is turned and the gas-jet is lighted, thecontents of the thermostatic device is almost instantly expanded, thusengaging the brake-wheel and preventing reverse movementofthegearing.The few moments that elapse before the thermostat is sufficientlyexpanded to operate will not cause the gas to be even partially cut oif,owing to the peculiar construction of the cock, as herein described,which enables it to be partially turned without affecting the flow ofgas. The device remains in this position until the gasjet isextinguished, when the cooling and contracting of the thermostatreleases the brakewheel, thereby causing the actuating-spring to restorethe gas-cock to its closed position. This operation takes place,however, only when the gas-jet is extinguished carelessly oraccidentally. When the gas-cock is turned by means of the handleattached thereto, the arm 43 will engage the member 18 of theescapement-lever, throwing the latter into ongagement with theesoapement-wheel and acting as a brake upon the latter to preventreturn-movement of the gearing.

It is obvious that from the gear-wheel 7 upon the spindle of the gas-jeta portion of the teeth are removed, and a stud 40 is provided upon theframe to limit the movement of said wheel or disk, as well as of thegascock'connected therewith, permitting the latter to be rotated onlysufficiently to turn on or cut off the gas, as may be required.

I desire it to be understood that regarding the detailed construction ofthis device I do not wish to be regarded as limiting myself in anyparticular, but reserve the right to any ICO changes, alterations, andmodifications which may be resorted to Without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention or sacrificing the utility of the same.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States- 1. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination of a gas-cock, spring-actuated means forclosing the same, a brake-wheel connected by a train ofspeed-multiplyingelements with said closing means, and a tubularthermostat having an expansible closure 1ocated in the path of saidbrake-wheel.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a gas-cock,spring-actuated means for closing the same, and brake mechanism fortemporarily preventing such closure, said brake mechanism comprising abrake-wheel connected by a train of gears with the spring-actuatedclosing means, and a thermostatic braking device comprising a tubedisposed within the ran ge of the heating influence of the gas-jet, achamber fixedly secured above the brake-wheel, and an expansible closurefor said chamber, disposed in the path of and adapted to impinge uponsaid brake-Wheel.

8. In a device of the class described comflow of gas, a brake-wheelconnected bya train of gears with said closing means and a thermostaticdevice disposed to act as a brake against the periphery of thebrake-wheel, a gas-cock having a transverse bore and channels extendingin opposite directions laterally from said bore to connect said borewith the bore of the burner-pipe when the gascock is partially turned0d.

4. In an automatic gas cut-off, a brakewheel connected with the meansfor effecting the closure of the flow of gas, in combination with atubular thermostat having an expansible closure located in' the path ofthe periphery of said brake-wheel and having its other end extendedwithin the heating influence of the gas-flame.

5. In a device of the class described, athermostat having an expansibleclosure disposed adjacent to and adapted to frictionally engage, theperiphery of a brake-wheel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

VICTOR E. CAMPBELL.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. OHAPPELL, THOMAS B. MONTGOMERY.

